


The Cloud and The Hedgehog

by bearsofalthain



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Fluff, Komahina - Freeform, M/M, Oneshot collection, contains a high concentration of gay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 11:28:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6702922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bearsofalthain/pseuds/bearsofalthain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of oneshots featuring everyone's favourite fluffy cloud Komaeda Nagito and the lovable, antenna-bearing hedgehog Hinata Hajime. </p><p>No angst, just pure fluff. (✿◕ w ◕✿)</p><p>Updates whenever inspiration hits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Ultimate Clumsy Student

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Hajime truly is the Ultimate Clumsy Student, and Nagito is very much in love with him.

He's clumsy, but Nagito thinks that aspect of him is adorable, if a little frustrating at times.

 

* * *

 

_December_

 

Nagito looks fondly at the spiky-haired boy as he snuggles into the former's army green jacket. He's pretty sure Hajime's unaware of how cute he looks at the moment, but he keeps his mouth shut out of fear of making the situation awkward.

The silence is broken anyway, by the snuggler himself.

"Hey, Komaeda," he murmurs. It doesn't take Nagito long to notice that the brunet is embarrassed — he wears his facial expressions as plain as day, after all. He can see the faint blush on Hajime's tanned cheeks, as well as the way he's deliberately averting his gaze from Nagito's own.

Adorable.

"Yes?" Nagito answers. He shuffles in his seat, resisting the temptation to move closer to the boy seated on his right.

"Thanks," Hajime continues. "For lending me your jacket, I mean."

Nagito hums. "You're welcome. But if you don't mind me asking, why didn't you bring your own? You know this library is cold."

Hajime coughs and pretends not to notice Nagito's amused expression. Instead, he buries his face deeper in his book and tries to change the subject.

"I... I forgot, okay? A-anyway, that's not important right now. C'mon, let's study. The test is tomorrow."

Hajime looks so endearing in his jacket, Nagito thinks. It's a bit big on him, but that just makes him look all the more adorable.

Nagito fights the urge to lean in and kiss the brunet on the cheek right there and then.

 

The next day is the day of the test, and it's only when they're seated at their desks in the classroom that Hajime realizes he's forgotten to bring his pencil case. 

His eye twitches, and he's about to lean towards Fuyuhiko who's sitting beside him when a poke from behind catches his attention.

Startled, Hajime turns around to face his attacker.

"Komaeda?" He asks, eyes wide.

Nagito says nothing, just hands him two pens and an amused expression. Hajime smiles sheepishly and turns back to face the front, thereafter biting his lip in anticipation of the test.

* * *

 "How did you find the test, Hinata-kun?" Nagito asks brightly. School's dismissed, and they're walking to the bus stop.

"It was pretty easy," Hajime replies. "Except for two of the questions." He reaches into his pocket and retrieves the pens that were lent to him earlier.

"That reminds me, thanks for lending me your pens earlier, Komaeda," Hajime says, a grateful look on his face.

"Sure thing! But really, how did you forget to bring your pencil case?" Nagito asks curiously.

Hajime bites his lip, and Nagito internally swoons.

"Hey, it's fine. Just don't be so careless tomorrow, okay?"

"..."

A crowded bus arrives, and they somehow just barely manage to make it on board.

A few stops later and the pair has been mercilessly pushed by the stream of passengers toward the back of the bus. As the vehicle moves, it's difficult for them to keep their balance, and people keep stepping on one another's feet and apologizing shortly after.

Nagito grabs tightly onto one of the handles along the overhead railing of the bus, depending on the plastic material and nothing else for stability. He tries to keep his focus, but the noise is distracting. That, and the fact that Hajime is pressed up against his chest. He knows that there isn't much space, and that the brunet is kind of stuck at the moment, but still, the close proximity...

He wonders whether, should he tilt his head downwards and Hajime tilt his upwards, their lips will collide.

But he decides against the homosexual contemplation and refuses to look down — effectively missing the sight of his flustered classmate.

Suddenly, the bus jerks violently, and Hajime crashes into Nagito's chest, thrusting him forward.

Nagito tenses and holds onto the handle tighter, his grip on the plastic the only thing that saves him and Hajime from completely falling over.

Nagito winces. "H-hey, you okay?" He chokes out, looking down at Hajime. The latter is clutching onto the back of shirt tightly for support, and Nagito has to bite his lip to suppress his gay thoughts once more. Reluctantly, he turns his head to the side and steadies himself, allowing Hajime to let go and regain his balance as well.

Hajime nods, shakily, and as the bus stops some of the passengers slowly begin to file out.

Minutes later, they alight at their stop and go their separate ways.

The next day, Nagito finds himself waiting outside Hajime's house for longer than usual.

Nagito figures the brunet has overslept, and he's right. So he gives him a call, and he hears his set ringtone blasting from he upper floor of Hajime's house, followed by a loud thud and series of "FUCK!"s.

It's not normally like Hajime to oversleep, but every once in a while, it does happen, so Nagito doesn't really think much of it. After all, it isn't as if he's not guilty of the same crime as well.

Fifteen minutes later, a panting Hajime greets a bemused Nagito on the front porch, his hair tousled and his breathing heavy.

"Hey, sorry," Hajime apologizes. "For being such a mess lately. Let's go."

Nagito frowns. "Are you sure you're alright?" His eyes are filled with concern.

Hajime bites his lip and looks down. "Just been thinking a lot."

Nagito raises an eyebrow but ceases any further questioning, though he does toss Hajime a look that says 'we'll discuss this eventually'.

Hajime shrugs and begins to walk down the pavement when Nagito calls out, "Hinata-kun, your shoes are mismatched, you know?"

Instantly, Hajime turns around, makes a beeline for his house and disappears through the door. He reappears a minute later, cheeks pink, donning his usual matching pair of red-and-white sneakers instead of the mismatching green and blue shoes from earlier. 

"Let's _go_ ," Hajime insists, embarrassed.

Nagito smiles and walks closer to him.

"One more thing," the taller boy says. Nagito leans forward, does a forgotten button on Hinata's shirt and finally, reaches around the brunet's neck to fix his collar and tie.

When he pulls back, he's pleased to note that Hajime's cheeks are dusted a bright shade of pink.

"Your second button was unbuttoned," Nagito explains, signaling for Hajime to walk alongside him. "And your collar and tie were a mess."

Frowning, Hajime straightens his own tie and collar once more. "They were _fine_!" He protests, though he ceases his grumbling almost instantly. "Thank you, though."

"Don't mention it."

They spent the rest of the journey to school talking about various things.

* * *

_January 1st_

 

"How forgetful do you have to be to not even remember your own birthday?" Nagito laughs as Hajime takes the parcel from him. 

Hajime laughs sheepishly in return. "I dunno. I was just too excited for the New Year celebrations," he says.

Nagito doubts that.

Hajime seems to be out of it nowadays — more often than usual. He's always been clumsy, Nagito knows that; but lately it seems like his entire mind's been out of focus.

He's been wanting to ask him about it, but it never seems to be the right time.

Nagito decides to brush away his concerns for now. As of now they're standing outside Hajime's house, pounding mochi in celebration of the new year.

It's tradition for Nagito and Hajime to pound mochi like this every year, sometimes with a bunch of their other friends like Chiaki or Fuyuhiko. This year, though, it's just the both of them, since everyone else was busy.

Every year, one of them handles the _kine_ — the wooden mallet for pounding the mochi — while the other wets and turns the glutinous rice in the wooden mortar, or _usu_.

They alternate their roles every year, and this year, Hajime works the _kine_ while Nagito is in charge of the _usu_.

They have always worked well as a team, and this is something they always look forward to. They've been doing this since they were kids, after all.

One pounds the mochi, waits a second for the other to turn and wet it, repeat.

It's always been that way between them.

Truthfully, though, this time Nagito's a little worried. It isn't that he doesn't trust Hajime with the mallet or anything — he trusts Hajime with his life! — it's just that...

With Hajime being so out of it lately, he wouldn't be surprised if an accident were to occur.

"Ah, careful, Hinata-kun!" He calls out as he turns the glutinous rice once more. "Don't pound my ha—"

Hajime pounds his hand.

Nagito writhes in pain.

Well, he should've expected this.

"I'm sorry, Ko," Hajime apologizes for the umpteenth time later that day.

Nagito's eyes flicker to his throbbing hand then back to Hajime.

"Just shut up and eat your damn kusamochi, birthday boy," Nagito says in a haughty tone.

Hajime knows he's joking, that he's not really mad, but still.

He unknowingly pouts and pops a piece of mochi into his mouth, eyes sparkling with delight at the taste.

Hajime then picks up another piece.

"H-here," he says, raising the mochi to Nagito's mouth. "Say 'ah'."

Nagito says 'ah' and allows his adorable best friend to feed him.

Maybe the day wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

 _February 14th_  

Hajime's been avoiding him all day.

At precisely 11pm the previous night Hajime messaged him asking him to go to school without him the next day — today, so Nagito had to walk to school alone.

But not only that. Even when he made it to class, Hajime was ignoring him. He refused to lock eyes with the white-haired boy, only muttering an unsure "Good Morning" as opposed to his usual bright and cheerful greeting.

And during lunch break, before Nagito could even try to talk to him, Hajime dashed out of the classroom. Nagito sighed and decided to just go to his locker.

Now, Nagito sits at his desk once more, except this time with a pile of pink, white and red envelopes in front of him. Love letters. He'd retrieved them from his locker.

It's Valentine's Day, after all.

One by one, he opens them.

They're all love confessions from girls he doesn't have the eyes for.

He sighs — he'll have to return them all chocolates on White Day.

Nagito then rests his head on his desk amidst the mountain of cards.

If only the one he truly did like would give him a card like that.

Instead, no, he's been avoiding him like the bloody plague the whole day.

Nagito groans.

The rest of the day passes by similarly, with no sign of Hajime wanting to talk to him at all.

Nagito wishes he could just get the day done and over with.

It's only when class is dismissed that something happens.

When Nagito looks around the classroom after packing his things, he sees that Hajime is long gone. Figuring he doesn't want to walk home with him today, Nagito sighs and picks up his bag, getting ready to depart the school grounds for the day.

And that's when it happens.

Kazuichi approaches Nagito and hands him a a green envelope.

"What's this?" Nagito asks curiously.

Kazuichi scratches the back of his head. "Mm, I dunno. I'm guessing it's a love letter or something. It was addressed to you, but somehow it ended up in my locker instead."

Nagito blinks.

"Ah, whatever. Good for you, Komaeda! Looks like you've got another admirer. Bye now," Kazuichi laughs, waving goodbye before exiting the classroom.

Nagito stares at the envelope.

It's green.

... Could it be?

Cautiously, he opens the envelope, taking extra care not to tear the letter inside.

He retrieves the letter and rereads it twice.

 

_Ko:_

_Meet me @ the back gate at 3.15?_

_There's... Something I went to tell you. It's important._

There's only one person who calls him Ko.

Nagito glances at the classroom clock.

It's 3.29.

**Fuck.**

Nagito thinks he's never run this fast in his entire life.

It's 3.34 by the time he makes it to the back gate, and Nagito has to lean against the wall to catch his breath. He doesn't have the best stamina, but if the sender of the letter is who he thinks — hopes — it is, then...

Panting, he looks around, but there's no Hajime in sight.

Shit. Did he miss him? He's really late, after all.

Nagito coughs, and slumps down against the wall.

He closes his eyes, and after what feels like forever, he hears a familiar voice.

"You came," comes the voice. Its owner sounds like he's going to cry.

Nagito's eyes flutter open.

"Hinata-kun," he whispers. "Hi. I'm sorry I'm so late."

Hajime's cheeks are tinted red. "I thought you wouldn't come."

Nagito smiles. "And _I_ thought you were ignoring me."

Hajime furrows his brows in concentration.

"I wasn't ignoring you. I just.."

Nagito waits for him to continue.

"Alright, so maybe I was ignoring you," Hajime confesses. "But I was just afraid you'd ask me about the letter I left in your locker, since I put it there yesterday..."

Nagito's face goes blank.

Hajime pales. "W-what?"

The last thing the brunet expects is for Nagito to burst out laughing.

"H-hey! Wha—"

"Hinata-kun," Nagito giggles. "You didn't put it in my locker. You put it in Souda-kun's. I just got it from him a few minutes ago. It's why I was late."

Hajime's jaw drops. "Are you fucking kidding me."

"Nope."

Groaning, Hajime hits his head against the wall. "Dammit, and I'd been planning this for ages!"

Nagito's eyes widen. "Wait, is... this why you've been spacing out so much lately?"

Hajime sighs and shakes his head. "It's not... This exactly. The Valentine's thing, I mean."

Nagito pats his back out of concern. "Then, what's been bothering you, Hinata-kun?"

Hajime turns to face Nagito, and without so much as another word, he leans in to press his soft lips against Nagito's own.

The touch is fleeting, and ends just as it begins.

Hajime pulls away, his face bright red, and immediately looks down to avoid having to make eye contact with Nagito.

Nagito wonders if Hajime's heart is pounding against his chest, because his definitely is. He's speechless, his face a lovely shade of pink; he puts his fingers to his lips, as if in doing so he'll be able to feel Hajime's lips on his again.

...

Wow, he thinks. He really has to stop being so damned gay.

"T-that," Hajime stammers, his voice barely audible. "I was... Thinking about how I should do that. Or if I ever should."

Nagito swallows hard. "I... I'm glad you did, though."

Hajime looks up and smiles shyly at him. "Really? That's... Good to know. I was afraid you'd hate me after that."

Hesitantly, Nagito wraps his arms around Hajime, pulling him in a warm embrace. "I...I could never hate you, Hinata-kun," he whispers. "What ever gave you that idea?"

Hajime hugs him back tightly. "Well. I'm really clumsy, and... I always make stupid mistakes. I'm impulsive sometimes and I'm not particularly good at anything, no matter how hard I try. I'm not like you or Souda or Nanami. I figured you'd never like me that way, and I just... I didn't want to lose you, Ko."

He pauses to laugh a little. "In fact, even now, I'm terrified. I'm scared that you're just being nice to me because you pity me."

Softly, slowly, Nagito kisses Hajime on the cheek, enjoying the way the brunet bites his lip and blushes.

"Don't be," the taller boy whispers. "I've loved you ever since we entered middle school, Hinata-kun. And I'm not really good at anything either. All I've got are weird bouts of luck."

He smiles fondly at Hajime and gently wipes a threatening tear away from his left eye. "But you know, Hinata-kun. You're amazing. Please don't think you aren't. You're... Just like your name, y'know. You're my sun, _the light of my life_ — you always cheer me up and make me smile even when no one else can. And besides. Your clumsiness is adorable. So please, Hinata-kun. Slowly, at least try... To gain a bit of confidence in yourself. I'll be here beside you along the way. I'll help you."

Hajime giggles, snuggling against Nagito.

Nagito thinks Hajime snuggling with him is ten times better than the latter doing it with his jacket.

Hajime looks into Nagito's eyes.

"I don't think being clumsy is something to be proud of, but... Thank you, Ko. I like you too," he confirms, pulling Nagito in for another kiss.

Being the clumsy guy he is, Hajime misses this time, and ends up mashing his lips against the side of Nagito's mouth.

They both burst out laughing, and after certain more words are exchanged, Hajime and Nagito leave the school and began to walk home.

Together.

Just as they should be.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can't run from your gay thoughts komaeda give it up  
> submit to your fate and kiss the boy  
>    
> ook so remember how during ko's 1st free time event when he and hinat are discussing what hinata's shsl talent could potentially be  
> he says 'the ultimate clumsy student'  
> And thus this fic was born  
> actually i don't even know what this is I am so sorry
> 
> so  
> I started a oneshot collection  
> do you like the title btw i asked a bunch of my friends whether 'the hedgehog and the cloud' or 'the cloud and the hedgehog' sounded better and like 3 of them asked if i was secretly writing sonic fanfiction
> 
> the title refers their hair, btw, if you didn't realize :'D
> 
> (am i even uploading this right actually how does ao3 work hel;p)
> 
> Let me know what you think! ^^ I can't guarantee that any of these will be very good, but I'll definitely do my best. It's so fun writing komahina - and writing in general - but I'm still just an amateur, so I hope that having this collection will help me improve along the way. I was inspired by some of the other komahina authors with oneshot collections too!! They're so amazing omg i love them you should definitely check them out if you haven't :0
> 
> also you should try pounding mochi... It's kind of difficult but also really fun :D


	2. You Tried, Nagito, You Tried

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nagito sucks at cooking, but he does his best for his boyfriend anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have no excuse for this. i live a life of sin and memes

"Komaeda, you don't have to —"

"No, Hinata-kun. You don't understand. I _have_ to do this. My life depends on it." 

"Um, I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, don't y—"

_"Goodbye Hinata-kun."_

_**SLAM!** _

Hajime was locked out of his apartment. The apartment he shared with his boyfriend, rather, he should clarify.

It was the 4th anniversary of the day Hajime and Nagito had first gotten together, and for some reason Nagito had been oddly insistent on making a 'hopefully romantic dinner' for them that night.

Usually it was Hajime who made dinner, seeing as Nagito's culinary skills were... questionable, to say the least. But Hajime knew that his boyfriend had been taking up cooking classes ever since the start of the year, so he figured he'd let his boyfriend take the lead and show off this time.

 

But still, that was no reason for Nagito to kick him out of their apartment. He could understand the kitchen, sure, but their house? 

Hajime sighed and decided against questioning his boyfriend any further. Unsure of what to do next, Hajime simply stood outside their apartment door and leaned against it.

As he reached into his pocket, however, a sudden realization occurred to him.

He pounded on the door.

"Hey, Komaeda! I left my phone on the counter!" Hajime called.

He waited for the door to be opened and to be let in, but instead, he was taken by surprise.

It all happened in a flash.

Before Hajime could fully process what was happening, the door opened; something was slipped into his shirt pocket and a pair of soft lips was pressed against his own.

Dumbfounded, Hajime simply blushed. He tried to prolong the kiss, but just as he attempted to do so Nagito pulled away and the door was slammed in his face once more.

Hajime blinked.

"W-wha— Komaeda! That's not fair!"

But he received no response from the man on the other side of the door, only a text message he later saw on his phone saying _"see you in a few hours, Hinata-kun! <3"_

Although he knew he didn't have to be, Hajime was worried that something might happen while Nagito was cooking. The boy was prone to accidents, especially in the kitchen, so if something were to happen and he wasn't there...

No. He trusted his boyfriend. Nagito had gathered the confidence to do all this for him, he couldn't ruin it simply due to his worry.

Besides, if something happened, Nagito would call him, right?

_Right?_

Hajime sighed, exasperated, but figured he shouldn't dwell on the matter any longer. He decided to go over to Chiaki's place for the time being.

Chiaki was Hajime's one of best friends along with Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi. But she was the one Hajime confided in most, and was in fact the one who'd persuaded him and Nagito to get together (the romantic tension between them during their high school days had been so painfully obvious to everyone except them themselves that she just _had_ to do something about it).

She lived two floors above Hajime and Nagito in the same apartment building and, since she was a stay-home programmer, she was almost always in, except for the occasional errand running session now and then.

Hajime knocked on Chiaki's door.

At least, if he was at Chiaki's place, he'd still be nearby in case Nagito needed help.

"Nanami?" He called. "You in?"

He heard the patter of footsteps for a moment before the door was opened to him by his friend. "Oh, Hinata-kun," she greeted, smiling. "Come on in."

Hajime stepped inside, and the pair ended up playing games on Chiaki's console for hours.

Finally, Chiaki put her controller down.

"Alright," she announced. "It's time."

Hajime looked at her with an odd expression. Usually it was him who called the end of their gaming sessions — Chiaki was always the one insisting that they play one more round, just one more; maybe two or even a dozen.

So for her to suddenly say such a thing...

"Are you feeling okay?" Hajime asked without thinking.

Chiaki gave him a look, before letting out an amused giggle. "Yeah, I'm okay. But what I mean is, isn't it about time you got back to Komaeda-kun?"

Eyes widening in realization, Hajime gasped. "Crap! What time is it?" He asked frantically. He scrambled for his phone, and upon unlocking it he noticed it was almost 8pm.

"Shit," he cursed. "I'm so late, Nagito must have been waiting for—"

"No, no, it's alright," Chiaki said reassuringly. "He just messaged me to ask you to come back home a few minutes ago."

Hajime's expression changed into one of confusion. "Wait, what?"

Chiaki explained. "Komaeda-kun figured you'd be worried about him and would want to stay nearby in case something happened, so he told me that you'd probably come to my place. He asked me to keep you distracted until he gave me the signal to send you back again."

Hajime's mouth opened, but he found himself unable to say anything. His boyfriend had planned all that?

... Wow, he really did know him well.

Hajime laughed, cheeks growing warm at the thought of his sweetheart Nagito. "Haha... Planning my actions, keeping me distracted... And now you're telling me when to go home? What are you guys, my mom and dad?"

Chiaki smirked, an unusually playful expression crossing her face. "You really shouldn't say such things about your boyfriend, Hinata-kun," she teased. "Unless you secretly have a daddy ki—"

_"Nope nope nope that's enough it's okay forget everything I said also please never say that again Nanami I'll be going now thanks for everything see you later bye!"_

Flustered, Hajime ran out of Chiaki's apartment and closed the door behind him, leaving a highly amused Chiaki behind.

Heart pounding against his chest in anticipation, Hajime walked down the stairs and made his way to his apartment. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, and was immediately welcomed inside by a certain boyfriend of his who picked him up in one fell swoop and spun him around with great affection.

"K-Komaeda!" Hajime gasped, surprised, but he couldn't deny that he enjoyed it whenever his boyfriend did that. It was a little childish, but it was fun, and he loved being held in Nagito's arms.

"Hinata-kun~" Nagito sang cheerfully, setting the brunet down in front of him.

Hajime's cheeks went pink at the sight of his boyfriend's soft, welcoming eyes. "I'm home, Ko," he whispered.

It had only been a few hours since they'd last met, but every minute felt like forever without the other.

Nagito stroked Hajime's cheek fondly. "Welcome home, Hinata-kun."

They shared a blissful moment of silence, saying nothing, only staring into each other's eyes...

When all of a sudden, the smoke alarm went off, snapping the two out of their romantic daze.

Hajime's eyes widened, and Nagito looked away, laughing nervously.

It was only then that the smell of something burning wafting through the air was picked up on by Hajime's nose. He'd been so distracted by Nagito that he hadn't noticed the underlying smell of smoke, pitifully masked by the scent of cologne and Yankee candles.

"Komaeda..." Hajime's eye twitched. "What the _fuck_ did you do."

Nagito winced, scratching his cheek unsurely. "Um. I _thought_ I knew what I was doing this time? But, well, uh, I guess I don't, so... I can't really... Answer that?"

Hajime raised an eyebrow skeptically and sighed, though an amused smile couldn't help but peek out from the corner of his lips.

"You're lucky I love you," he told Nagito, kissing his cheek before heading to the kitchen to sort out the mess.

Once the brunet was out of his sight,  Nagito sighed dreamily, cheeks flushed.

"I really am," he said quietly to himself. "I really am lucky."

Nagito closed his eyes, humming in sheer contentment, and for a moment he almost forgot about the dilemma at hand.

...

Only for a moment, though.

_"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT IN THE OVEN?! WHY IS IT PITCH BLA— OHMYGOD KOMAEDA WHAT'S THAT IN THE MICROWAVE. WHY IS IT MOVING. WHY IS IT BREATHING AT ME KOMAEDA. IS THAT A BLOODY ESCAPED LAB EXPERIMENT IN THE MICROWAVE OR SOMETHING KOMAEDA WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK DID YOU — OH GOD. OH GOD. SEND HELP."_

Well... It wasn't perfect, but at least he tried, right?

 _"_ Aaaaghh _—_ _MAN_ _DOWN!_ I REPEAT, ** _MAN DOWN!_** ** _"_**

... Nagito whipped out his phone, and prepared to order takeout for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this while I was supposed to be studying for a social studies exam instead. It's tomorrow and I have a couple dozen pages to study on globalization and the impact of wars. I am so tired but I have nor egrets


	3. Mass over Volume

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nagito has a thing for Hajime the physics expert. Unfortunately for Nagito, his roommate's about as dense as a brick.

"Alright, remember these formulas. I assume you know them by heart by now, but we learned a couple more last week, so I think you should run by them again just in case you forget."

Nagito stared blankly at the page Hajime had pointed to, but made no move to actually study it. Instead, he looked at the brunet and quickly became fixated on the brunet's figure. The way his green eyes focused intently on their opened textbooks, the way his untameable ahoge bounced every time he moved, the adorable way the tip of his tongue unknowingly peeked out from his lips whenever he was concentrating.

"Hey… Nagito, quit looking around and focus."

"Right, sorry."

Nagito was currently revising for the next day's physics test with Hajime.

His attractive, intelligent, sometimes cynical roommate Hajime.

His awfully oblivious best friend Hajime.

Nagito had had a crush on the latter for months, but despite having been painfully obvious that he was interested in the other (as so helpfully pointed out by his friends), Hajime didn't seem to be taking the hint at all.

If only the spiky-haired boy would just realize...

"Nagito!" He snapped all of a sudden, taking Nagito by surprise. "You asked me for help with physics since you weren't good at it, right?"

Nagito exhaled. "Yeah...?"

"So focus. Or at least try to. We can take a break in maybe an hour, okay?"

Nagito rested his head against the table. " _Hajime_..." He whined.

Hajime rolled his eyes, but found a fond smile creeping across his own face anyway.

"Alright. How about this. I’ll ask you a bunch of questions, and if you can answer most of them correctly, we'll take a break right after.”

Nagito's eyes shone at Hajime with bright hope. "Really?!"

Hajime continued. "Yeah. I'll just test you on the basics, so don't worry."

Nagito made a joyous noise and sat back upright, now with visibly more energy than before.

“Good,” he said. “The basics are pretty much all I can do.”

Hajime blinked. "What's the S.I unit for temperature?"

Nagito hummed. "Kelvin." That was easy.

"Formula for pressure?"

"Um... Force over area?"

"Yeah. The definition of parallax error?"

"Too long to explain, but I get the gist of it."

Hajime looked at Nagito, one eyebrow raised in amusement. "Yeah, try writing that down in tomorrow’s test. I dare you.”

Nagito shrugged.

 Hajime smiled and resumed his mini-quizzing. "Formula for density?"

Nagito's eye twitched at that, but the action went unnoticed by Hajime, thankfully.

 _If it's density you're looking for_ , Nagito thought, _just take a look in a mirror._

Hajime looked at him expectantly. "Do you know it?" He asked, his voice laced with slight concern. "This one's important, y'know."

Nagito shook his head as if to rid himself of his silly thoughts and promptly replied to the question at hand.

"Uh, yeah. Mass over volume, right?"

Hajime nodded, pleased, and moved on to the next question.

A few minutes of quizzing later, Hajime gave Nagito a satisfied smile, as well as a thumbs-up for good measure.

"Okay, you pass. Let's take a break," he announced, getting up from his seat and stretching.

Nagito cheered. He stretched out across the table.

“I’m gonna go get something from the vending machine. Do you want anything?” Hajime asked, making his way towards the door of their shared dorm room.

Nagito shook his head and buried his face in his jacket sleeves. “Nope, thanks,” he replied, his answer muffled by the fabric. Hajime nodded and left the room, but unbeknownst to him, he’d left his phone on the desk.

A sudden vibration alerted Nagito of the device, and he slowly sat up straight to look at it.

A new message had popped up on Hajime’s screen. Curiosity got the better of Nagito, and he found himself leaning forward to view the text.

**_[FROM: Chiaki Nanami]_ **

_I’m sure he likes you back._

At just the sight of the six short words, Nagito’s heart skipped a beat. Who was ‘he’? Did Hajime like someone? Who was it?

Biting his lip, Nagito averted his gaze and silently wished he’d never seen the message.

Nagito lay down on the floor. He decided to take a short nap while he waited for Hajime to return, not wanting to think about the text nor physics any longer. He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to overcome him, but as expected, it was not that simple.

Nagito sighed and rolled over, feeling conflicted. He couldn’t stop thinking about the message, although he felt a bit guilty for having looked at Hajime’s messages without permission.

He wondered if there was someone Hajime had shown interest in lately. He scanned through a list of people in his brain, but no one seemed to particularly stand out as someone Hajime might like.

Although, perhaps that was just wishful thinking on Nagito’s part.

At that moment, the door opened, announcing Hajime’s return. The brunet was carrying a can of orange juice, as well as a can of apple juice.

“Hey, I’m back,” Hajime greeted, holding out the can of apple juice towards Nagito. “I know you said you didn’t want anything, but you’ve been working hard, so…”

His voice trailed off, and Nagito couldn’t help but notice that Hajime’s cheeks were tinted the slightest shade of pink. Just the thought of that set Nagito’s heart aflutter, but he said nothing of the sort.

“Thanks,” he said instead, taking the can from Hajime gratefully. It was cold, and Nagito held it against his cheek gingerly to feel the coolness of the metal against the contrasting warmth of his skin.

Hajime opened his can of orange juice and took a long sip from it, making a pleasant noise of satisfaction once he finally pulled the can away from his lips.

“I love orange juice,” he sighed, holding the can with affection.

Nagito blinked. “I know,” he agreed, amused.

 _Maybe the ‘he’ in the message was orange juice_ , Nagito thought. _Maybe Hajime actually just has a crush on the orange juice. He loves the stuff, after all, right?_

He paused.

_Wait, no, that’s… That’s not really healthy, is it._

He brushed away the thought, and was ashamed of even having thought of it.

“Oh yeah,” Nagito said, trying his best to sound as casual as possible, “I think you have a new text or something. Your phone vibrated.”

Hajime’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Oh, really? Thanks,” he said, reaching for his phone while Nagito sat back up and returned to his original position at the desk.

Nagito silently watched for any reaction from Hajime as he read the message, but there was none.

There was a moment of silence before Hajime put his can of orange juice down on the desk and cleared his throat.

 “Hey, Nagito?” He asked quietly, so quietly that Nagito could just barely make out what he was saying.

Thoughtlessly, the mentioned boy opened his can of apple juice. “Mm?”

Hajime cleared his throat awkwardly, and Nagito saw that his cheeks were a slightly darker shade of pink. “Is there… Um, is there anyone you like?”

Nagito’s eyes widened, and he could feel his heart speeding up. "W-What do you mean?"

Hajime avoided eye contact with Nagito. The latter boy felt a surge of concern for the other, but before he could ask him what was wrong, Hajime continued.

“I mean, is there anyone you have a crush on?”

Nagito blinked. He nodded, slowly, and Hajime’s shoulders tensed.

“I… I see,” he said, setting his phone back down on the desk and retrieving his orange juice once more. He sipped it quietly.

Nagito scratched his cheek. “Why do you ask?”

Hajime pondered for a moment. “Well,” he started hesitantly, “there’s someone I like, I guess. And I've liked them for a while now, so I think I want to tell them.”

“But?” Nagito prompted gently, though the conversation was painful for the both of them.

Hajime sighed. “But I think they like someone else.” He finished.

Nagito's heart clenched. "I see," he said lamely. "Who is it?"

Hajime stared at the floor, his cheeks now dusted red. "I-I don't think I should say..."

Nagito bit his lip, but leaned over to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I won't judge you, Hajime. You're free to like whoever you want."

Hajime glanced up at his roommate, his light green eyes filled with uncertainty. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. Nagito sat there patiently, waiting for him; at last Hajime let out a long sigh and whispered,

"It's you."

Nagito's eyes widened. "W-what?" He asked, started. He leaned backwards, shocked, his heart pounding against his chest.

Hajime winced. "Don't make me say it again," he groaned. "I... I said, I—"

Nagito's breath hitched. "You _like_ me?" He choked out incredulously. He was shocked, immensely, but also extremely overjoyed.

Hajime liked him? The brunet actually returned his feelings? Was this the real life? Or was it just fantasy?

Shutting his eyes tightly, Hajime nodded meekly.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice shaking. "I'm really, really sorry, Nagito, I know it's dumb, I—"

Hajime was shut up by a firm pair of lips gently pressing against his own.

Immediately, Hajime's eyes opened. The brunet stared at the blushing white-haired boy in front of him, his body trembling, unsure.

"W-wha...?"

"I like you too, Hajime!" Nagito cried, his voice overflowing with joy, yet he sounded like he was about to break down. "I can't believe it. You... You actually like me back!"

Hajime made a noise of disbelief. "I... What? I thought you'd never like me that way! I was so sure you liked someone else..."

Nagito gave his roommate an exasperated look. "Hajime, I've been flirting with you since forever! I use pickup lines on you every other day, and heck — I even winked at you and blew you a kiss during biology the other day!"

Hajime stuttered, his face bright red. "I-I thought that was a joke! A-and how come I never once saw you flirting with me, even though you claim that you were?"

Nagito raised an eyebrow. "Because your mass over volume ratio is painfully high."

Hajime blinked. "My mass over... Hey! I'm not that dense, am I?"

Nagito smiled, but said nothing. Hajime facepalmed.

"Alright... I'm sorry, Nagito. How can I make it up to you?" He asked sincerely.

Nagito hummed. "Well, for starters, just like we agreed on... You can teach me physics for tomorrow's test."

Hajime nodded slowly. Alright, that sounded fine...

_"But."_

Hajime looked at Nagito curiously. "But?"

"If I pass, you have to give me a kiss," Nagito sang playfully, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

It took Hajime a moment for any reaction to set in, but when it did, Nagito silently regretted that he hadn't captured the moment with a camera.

Hajime's eyes were wide, and he had the most adorable blush on his face; Nagito couldn't help but want to kiss him right there and then.

And so he did.

"H-hey! That was only if you passed the test, right?"

Nagito smirked. "Yeah. I just chose to claim my reward beforehand."

Hajime made an annoyed sound, and without thinking, he answered, "that's not fair. You gotta give it back."

Only after his words had left his mouth did Hajime realize what he'd just said.

Nagito's grin widened.

Seeing that, Hajime's expression turned into one of horror.

"W-wait, Nagito, I didn't mean, _mmph_ —"

The next day, Nagito failed his test.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Density = Mass/Volume
> 
> my favourite formula ever since i was in 7th grade :'D
> 
> my midyear exams just ended and I didn't do so well for physics. Maybe because I was thinking about how to write this thing instead of actually studying for the paper the night before...? 
> 
> By the way, I've been feeling really down in the dumps lately, so even though I have lots of ideas for komahina fics, I just don't feel like I have the confidence or skill to write them well as of now. I'm really sorry, but please excuse me if my updates are extremely irregular or not up to expectations /cries


	4. I Don't Even Like Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nagito doesn't know what the Pocky game is.   
> And then he does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh yes the cliche pocky game :^)   
> Featuring a little bit of hurt/comfort, doting Hajime and everyone's favourite light musician.
> 
> Remember how in Nagito's profile, it's stated that he likes salty things and dislikes sweet things?  
> This is loosely based on that :'D

"Hey, Nagito, do you want to play the Pocky game with me?"

Nagito looked up from the book he was reading and cast a curious glance at Hajime, who had an oddly determined look on his face.

"The... Pocky game?" He asked, confused.

Hajime nodded. "Kazuichi was telling me about it earlier. Said something about wanting to do it with Sonia."

Nagito sat up from his lying position on the couch. He placed his book on his lap and gave Hajime his full attention, now interested in the aforementioned game.

"Well... First of all, what's 'Pocky'?" He inquired.

Pleased that he'd gotten his boyfriend's attention, Hajime rose up the box of chocolate Pocky he'd been holding to show Nagito.

"This thing! It's like a snack thingy that's really cheap, I'm actually kind of surprised you don't know what it is. There're different flavours; this one's chocolate—"

"Not interested."

Hajime lowered the box, slightly crestfallen. "H-huh?" He asked, confused.

Nagito sighed, reopening his book to pick up where he'd left off.

"Sorry, Hajime, but you know I don't like sweet things. I don't really want to play if it involves eating something sweet, okay?" he said, feeling a little guilty at the sight of his dejected lover. "I don't know what this Pocky game is, but I'm sure it's fun, and I'm sorry I can't play it with you. Though I'm sure Chiaki or someone would play it with you. You know she loves games."

Hajime frowned, subconsciously pouting in the adorable way he did whenever Nagito refused something from him.

"I just... I wanted to play it with you since..." He tried to explain, but his words were coming up short.

Nagito gave his boyfriend a fond, apologetic smile. "Since?" He encouraged, feeling bad enough that he'd turned down an offer from the awfully cute brunet.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Hajime turned around. "... it's nothing. Sorry for bothering you. See you later, Nagito."

Nagito blinked in stunned silence as his boyfriend exited the room, box of Pocky in hand.

_What was that all about...?_ He wondered, but resumed his reading after deciding not to dwell on the matter.

 

Over an hour had passed, and Hajime still hadn't returned to their shared dorm. Nagito had been so engrossed in his reading that he hadn't realized, but upon standing up to take a break and stretch, it occurred to him that perhaps he might have made Hajime upset.

He glanced at his phone. No new messages from the brunet.

He hummed in thought. He didn't know what he did, but he guessed it had made Hajime mad or something, so he figured he ought to apologize.

Nagito couldn't help it — it was just a bad habit of his. He usually didn't mean to offend others, but there were times when he would unintentionally say things that made him come across as cold or insensitive.

And now he'd done it again to Hajime. His own boyfriend. Dammit.

Nagito placed his book down on the sofa and set about finding his spiky-haired sweetheart.

First, he checked Kazuichi's dorm. No Hajime there.

Then, he checked the courtyard.

Next, the library. The lounge.

No ahogays there.

He continued searching.

His eyes finally landed upon Hajime in the cafeteria, one end of a chocolate Pocky stick in his mouth, the other end connected to Ibuki's mouth, slowly leaning and closer and closer until their lips were—

" _ **STOOOOOP**_!" Nagito yelled, rushing in to pull them apart. Shocked, Hajime fell back in surprise, Ibuki barely managing to steady herself after the impact of being yanked backwards.

The remains of the Pocky stick broke in the process, having fallen to the floor in all its chocolatey goodness.

Hajime took a moment to catch his breath and regain his composure, after which he looked up at his white-haired boyfriend and shouted, "What the _FUCK_ , Nagito?!"

Nagito swallowed, panting after his sprint across the cafeteria.

He looked at Hajime with sad eyes, his voice breaking as he said, "no, _you_ what the fuck, Hajime?"

Hajime blinked, eyes wide in confusion. "That doesn't even make sense. Grammar, Nagito."

Nagito whimpered, his lips wobbling as he choked out, "d-do you not love me anymore, Hajime? I'm sorry for making you upset, I'm sorry, I'm no good, I'm so sorry, I..."

Hajime gasped, taken aback.. "What? N-no, that's not..!"

Quickly, he embraced the now shaking Nagito, tears spilling from the taller boy's eyes.

"No, no, no, hush, baby, don't cry; you've got that wrong, sweetie," Hajime tried to comfort his boyfriend, hugging him close and stroking his hair gently. "Of course I love you, Nagito, what are you even talking about?"

Nagito sniffled, clutching onto the back of Hajime's shirt tightly, tears threatening to spill from his eyes if he opened them.

"B-because! You were going to kiss Ibuki!" He said.

Hajime's mouth opened in realization.

All of a sudden, he burst out laughing, much to Nagito's confusion. Endearingly, he nuzzled his nose against Nagito's cheek as his giggles refused to cease.

Nagito stared at him in silent confusion as Ibuki spoke up, her eyes twinkling.

"Kyahaaa! Is this why Nagito-chan was so worked up?" She laughed, her wide, radiant smile lightening up the atmosphere. "Don't worry, Nagito-chan! Hajime-chan wasn't planning on kissing Ibuki at _aaalll_!"

Nagito glanced at her unsurely. "Then, what was that all —"

The brunet let out an affectionate sigh as he released Nagito from the embrace and took his hands gently. He looked into the other's eyes fondly and smiled, the way his own dull green eyes crinkled making Nagito's heart skip a beat.

"That," he explained, "was the Pocky game."

Nagito's eyes furrowed in confusion. "I'm not following."

Ibuki took the initiative and continued the explanation for the idiotic lovebirds.

"You see, Nagito-chan," she said, pointing to the forgotten Pocky on the floor, "during the Pocky game, two people each take one end of the stick into their mouths, see? And then you gotta nom-nom-nom towards the center and eat as much as you can, without kissing the other person! Basically, whoever gets the closest without pulling away wins!"

At that, Ibuki knelt down, snatched the bit of Pocky on the floor and popped it into her mouth. "Five second rule," she sang.

Nagito made a thoughtful noise, his red blush of embarrassment a stark contrast to the rest of his pale complexion.

"That... Was definitely more than five seconds," he said lamely, earning nothing more than a satisfied shrug from the musician.

A gentle squeeze of his hands turned his attention back to Hajime.

"But you see now, Nagito?" Hajime said kindly. "I wasn't trying to kiss anyone. In fact, I don't _want_ to kiss anyone. Not unless it's you."

The white-haired boy made a noise at the back at his throat. He bit his lip and averted his gaze, oblivious to the silent squeals of ' _cutecutecute_ ' going on in Hajime's mind.

"T-then, earlier, when you asked me to play with you, you..."

Hajime swung their joined hands lovingly as Ibuki made excited exclaims of ' _Oho! Pure-hearted, youthful romance!_ ' in the background.

"I wanted to kiss you, Nagito," Hajime said softly, but loud enough to set Nagito's heart aflutter.

Nagito's gaze rested upon the still nearly-full box of Pocky that lay on the cafeteria table nearby. He noticed that Ibuki was quickly taking her leave, not wanting to get between the two lovers, and made a mental note to thank her later.

"I'm sorry," Nagito apologized, earning himself a light head shake from Hajime to signify that he was forgiven.

"Do you..." Nagito continued, looking down  at his feet, his tone hopeful,  "do you... still want to kiss me?"

He looked up to meet Hajime's eyes shyly.

Another light giggle from the brunet.

"I always want to kiss you, love."

Nagito blushed at the nickname.

"T-then," he said, releasing one joined hand to reach for the box of Pocky, "I know I said I don't like sweet things, but... If it's for someone as sweet as _you_ , Hajime, I guess I can make an exception."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hinata kun you smooth little
> 
> my basic chinese o levels are tomorrow and i haven't studied at all no I haven't  
> why do i keep doing this to myself
> 
> My summer (?) (... it's always summer where I am) break just started but we still have to go back to sch for extra lessons so... I dunno. I have two sort-of huge komahina au fics in progress, though, so perhaps maybe check those out if you'd like when they come out? ... Or not. oh man I hope I don't disappoint.  
> Thanks again for reading! My apologies for the shortness of this chapter, I just typed this one up real quick since I was kinda sad and komahina fluff always cheers me up. :'D


	5. Your Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always wanted to write a komahina royalty AU.  
> This chapter won't be awfully fluffy, I think, but hopefully it will still be a nice break from all the despair in DR3. :D

“But my prince, you can’t just – “

“No ‘but’s, Hajime. I’m going, no matter what you say.”

Hajime stared at Nagito, exasperated, as the white-haired prince rummaged through his closet in search of a cloak.

The servant had been tasked to go run some errands at the village’s farmer market that day. Being Nagito’s aide and closest friend, however, he’d figured it would be best if he told the prince his whereabouts – just in case the other boy needed to find him for whatever reason but was unable to reach him.

But perhaps that… Hadn’t been such a good idea.

The moment Hajime told him his plan to go to the village, Nagito’s eyes lit up, and he insisted on accompanying him. Normally, he would’ve been busy, but a sudden turn of events had allowed for his schedule to be freed up for the day.

 It was fate, he’d told Hajime. The stars had aligned for this to happen.

The messy-haired prince didn’t often get to go to the village, and whenever he did, he was usually on official business. He’d never had time to simply stroll around the streets and experience for himself what village life was like, so going with Hajime would be the perfect chance.

He wanted to see how the farmer’s market was like. Would it be vibrant and lively? What kind of things did they sell there? How were the people like? Were they happy…? He would one day be their ruler, after all…

Nagito gushed. He was excited – he wanted to see _everything._

Plus, he’d get to be with Hajime.

_Hajime_.

His personal and favourite servant whom he may or may not have developed romantic feelings for.

Eyes sparkling, Nagito had suggested going with the brunet…

Only to be thoughtlessly shut down by him.

“No,” was all Hajime replied to his idea.

Nagito had been crestfallen. “Why not?” he’d asked, whining subconsciously.

Hajime shrugged. “’Cause you’re royalty. If people spot you out there you might draw a crowd. I’m just going to get some stuff done, so I don’t really want that,” he said flatly. “And you’ll definitely stand out, Nagito – especially with your white hair.”

To that, Nagito frowned. He could understand Hajime’s point, but…

Then an idea hit him.

“What if I hide my white hair?” He said slowly, a smile slowly creeping across his face.

Hajime’s eyes widened. “…What do you mean?”

And hence, Nagito ended up searching for his cloak, with Hajime trying hard to stop him.

“Look, Nagito. You can’t go, okay?” Hajime told the prince, raising his voice. “Whether or not people recognize you is one thing, but what am I going to do if you get hurt, huh? And what if I lose you?”

Nagito paused from his rummaging. He turned around to face Hajime, who was challenging him with determined eyes.

He took a step towards him, and Hajime cautiously took one back.

Raising an eyebrow, Nagito took another step forward. Then another. Then another…

Until he had Hajime backed up against the wall. Right where he wanted him.

Pleased with this outcome, Nagito rested his hands on the wall on either side of the brunet, effectively trapping him with his body.

Hajime frowned. “Nagito… Just what do you think you’re doing?“

Nagito smiled and leaned in closer to the servant until their faces were only inches away from each other.

“I’m not a kid, Hajime,” he reminded him, whispering. “I won’t get lost or hurt, especially not on a trip to the village.”

Hajime swallowed hard. “I—“

Nagito cut him off. “Need I remind you that I am a prince; heir to the kingdom. I’m a highly certified swordsman capable of killing a man. So if I want to go into town, Hajime—“he lifted Hajime’s chin gently so that his brown-green eyes bore into his own – “you can bet I’m going to go to town.”

With that, Nagito released the servant from his grasp and stalked back to the closet, where he resumed his search.

Hajime stayed frozen against the wall for a moment, wide-eyed, before snapping back to reality and hurrying back to the prince’s side.

“N-Nagito, was that really necessary?” he asked, cheeks dusted with red.

Nagito feigned obliviousness. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Hajime.” From a drawer, he pulled out a khaki green cloak. “Ah, there we go. Are you ready to leave yet?”

Hajime’s eye twitched. “Nagi… You know what, forget it. You’re kind of a pain, my prince, you know that?” He said.

Nagito smiled. “And yet you adore me.”

Hajime rolled his eyes. “Anyway,” he said, ignoring the light-haired royalty, “if something happens to you, Nagito, a lot of different people will get in trouble. I know you’re perfectly capable of protecting yourself, but I’m not going to risk it. I’m not going to risk _you_.”

Nagito’s grip on the cloak tightened. He knew that at that moment what Hajime was saying was completely true, that his concern as a staff member of the castle and friend of his was perfectly valid.

Part of him just silently wished that the last line Hajime had said could have been meant in a different way.

He bit his lip.

Noticing that Nagito didn’t seem to be planning on making a witty retort anytime soon, Hajime sighed. “I’m sorry, Nagito. It’s just to be safe. But hey, cheer up, maybe…”

He took a deep breath, knowing that he would probably regret this later.

“… Maybe I can see if a few of the guards would be willing to come with us?” He suggested, cursing himself for giving in to his best friend so easily. “Then I could go run my errands and stuff, while you walk around with them. You won’t have to wear the cloak, either. Sound good?

Nagito looked down. “…No,” he replied.

Hajime blinked. “No?” He asked. “But why? I think it’s a pretty good idea. Maybe I’ll ask Peko and Fuyuhiko, I’m sure they’d be willing to –“

“I want to go with you,” Nagito confessed. “Just you.”

Hajime’s tilted his head. “Just me?“ He sounded confused.

Nagito sighed. “…I’ll go ask my parents, Hajime. If Peko and Fuyuhiko come it should be alright, but I’m gonna ask that they stay a certain distance behind us. So that we’ll have guards with us like you said, _and_ I’ll get to be as alone with you as I’m apparently allowed to be. Heck, I’ll even wear the cloak, too.”

Hajime’s cheeks flushed. “Why would you want to be alone with me?” He asked, somewhat flattered and dumbfounded.

Nagito smiled faintly. He figured the servant wouldn’t understand his feelings for him even if he tried. Hajime was smart, but he’d always been awfully dense. There was no helping that, he supposed. That was just how he was.

So he simply shrugged. “It would be cool to hang out, I guess. And I want you to show me around.”

At that, Hajime grinned. “O-oh! In that case, I’m sure it’ll be alright. You go ask the king and queen, then; I’ll go get some stuff,” he said brightly before hurrying out of Nagito’s room.

Nagito watched as Hajime left, then buried his face in the cloak.

Oh well, he thought. There was no use in moping around dwelling on his nonexistent love life. He figured he’d best get going. It wouldn’t be nice to keep Hajime waiting.  

* * *

 

 

Some time later, Hajime and Nagito set off for the village, Peko and Fuyuhiko trailing a few metres behind them. The prince and his aide were good friends with the bodyguard duo, so the latter pair hadn’t minded accompanying them. That was actually pretty lucky, considering that the request had been rather sudden.

Furthermore, Nagito was relieved that it was the two of them and not anyone else following him and Hajime. He knew that he could count on Fuyuhiko and Peko to ensure their safety – while also giving him and the brunet some space. Out of all the people in the castle, the two of them were the only ones who knew about his crush on the servant besides Mikan, one of the nurses.

As the group made their way into the village, Nagito’s eyes widened.

The place was bustling. It was late morning on a Saturday and many people were out and about, talking to their neighbours and tending to their plants.

Hajime figured they’d reach the central area within another few minutes. It was where the farmer’s market was, after all, and would be the highlight of the main prince’s trip.

Curiously, Hajime glanced at Nagito, who was walking alongside him. Even with his pale blue-green eyes partially hidden under his cloak, Hajime could clearly tell that they were sparkling as he looked around the vibrant village with awe.

Hajime smiled to himself. As his aide he was well aware that the prince had never really been able to stop and truly appreciate the town, what with his demanding studies and ever-busy schedule always stealing his free time. So to see him looking so happy and carefree as they walked…

Hajime had to admit, Nagito did look kind of cute.  

As if to emphasize Hajime’s unspoken thoughts, the prince tugged on Hajime’s sleeve excitedly. “Hajime, Hajime, look! What are those kids doing?” He asked, pointing to a group of kids who were hopping about on the side of the road.

“They’re playing hopscotch,” Hajime told him. “It’s a game.”

 He’d only come to work at the castle when he was twelve, but he guessed Nagito must not have ever played hopscotch as a kid. He supposed he’d have to show him sometime.

They continued further down the path until at last they reached the market. Hajime looked back to make sure that Peko and Fuyuhiko were still decently close behind, as well as around him to ensure that there was no one suspicious nearby. Confirming his observations, he subconsciously took Nagito by the hand and made his way to the first stall he needed to go to – a fruits and vegetables stall.

 

The man who greeted them at the stall was a large, dark-skinned man whose high-pitched voice didn’t quite seem to fit his tough demeanour, but seemed friendly enough. He was Daisaku Bandai, one of the many farmers in the village who took pride in his crops and animals.

Nagito was so fixated on the fact that _Hajime was holding his hand_ that he completely missed Bandai’s cheerful greeting. It was only once the brunet next to him poked his cheek that he snapped out of his trance and was able to meet the eyes of the farmer who stood before him.

“Ko?” Hajime asked, using the undercover name they’d agreed on calling him during their trip to the village, “you okay there?”

Nagito’s eyes widened. “O-oh! Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry about that. It’s nice to meet you, Mr Bandai,” he said, silently enjoying the way Hajime’s hand interlocked with his.

Bandai grinned, his cheeks wide. “It’s no problem. Ko, was it? It’s good to meet you too!”

He went on to quote some idiom about saplings and bridges that Nagito had never heard of before, but smiled politely at anyway.

“So, Hajime. I guess you’re here to settle the bills from last month?” Bandai asked, turning his attention to the brunet.

Hajime nodded, retrieving some bills from his pocket. “Yeah. Sorry we’re a bit late this time, Bandai. Things have been hectic at the castle lately.”

The farmer shook his head. “It’s alright, Hajime. I completely understand! And it’s always a pleasure doing business with you folks at the castle,” he laughed, gingerly accepting the bills.

Hajime smiled.

Bandai continued, “So how are things over there, anyway? How is the young prince Nagito doing? As busy as ever?”

“As busy as ever,” Hajime agreed. “He actually wanted to come to the village with me, but one of his dance lessons was rescheduled, so now my poor prince is stuck in the ballroom instead of being out here in the village.” He squeezed Nagito’s hand gently but playfully.

Under his hood, Nagito bit his lip, blushing.

Bandai reached into a carton and brought out a couple of oranges, which he then placed into a paper bag and handed to Hajime. “Well, tell him he’s welcome here any time he likes,” he said. “And give him these, won’t you? You seem to love them, so I think he will too.”

Hajime accepted the bag gratefully, putting it into the larger carrier bag he had with him. “O-oranges..? Thanks, Bandai! I’m sure he’ll love them.”

The farmer smiled, and waved at the pair as they departed for the next stall.

 

Hajime and Nagito went from place to place, with the former fulfilling the tasks he needed to complete and the latter looking around curiously and excitedly.

So far they’d gone to a butcher’s, a bakery, another produce stall, a fishmonger’s…

“So, what’s next?” Nagito asked, peering at Hajime through his hood. They’d been walking for a few minutes now, and Hajime hadn’t told him where they were headed next.

Not that he minded, though. The whole time they’d been travelling, Hajime had kept on holding his hand. And if it meant that he could continue holding Hajime’s warm, firm hand longer, Nagito didn’t really mind anything.

Hajime glanced at him, then continued looking around. “Uh… Let’s see. It should be nearby,” he said, his voice trailing off. “Ah, there we go.”

They entered a store this time, a small but cozy place with a little chime that rang as the door opened.

Bouquets of flowers decorated the room wherever you looked, giving off a mild and pleasant fragrance.

“A… Florist?” Nagito asked, looking around once more.

“Yeah!” Hajime replied, walking up to the counter to ring the little service bell that sat upon it.

“Makoto?” He called.

Moments later, a short brown-haired man wearing an apron appeared from the door behind the counter.

“Aah, Hajime! Hey, I didn’t know you’d be coming today!” Makoto greeted cheerfully. “And hello to you too!” He smiled at Nagito.

Hajime laughed. “I didn’t know till a while ago either,” he said. “Hey, I know you said the store had been relocated, but this place was seriously difficult to find. It looks great, though.”

“Thanks! But yeah, you’re right. This place is a lot smaller, too, but I think I like it better than the old place…”

Nagito watched as the florist bantered with Hajime. He recognized Makoto from past castle events; he’d been the one managing the flower arrangements and decorations for banquets and ceremonies sometimes.

Makoto also seemed to be rather close to Hajime. Nagito vaguely recalled the servant telling him about him before – they were childhood friends or something, he guessed.

While Nagito was highly diplomatic and on good relations with many people all over the region due to his status, during his free time, he was usually alone if not with Hajime. It wasn’t that he was bad with people – albeit he could be a bit awkward at times – it was just that he usually preferred being by himself if given the chance.

Hajime, on the other hand, was somewhat different. Despite the fact that he, too, was rather introverted at times and liked being alone, he could also be extremely outgoing, and was actually loved by many both within and outside of the castle grounds. He was kind and likeable, if a little sarcastic and clumsy, and countless people had been drawn to his gentleness and subtle charm.

That, of course, included Nagito.

Pursing his lips, Nagito briefly wondered whether Hajime liked Makoto anything more than platonically, but then remembered that _he_ was the lucky one holding the former boy’s hand and allowed the jealous thought to perish as soon as it had been formed.

The prince glanced at Hajime. The florist had retreated into the back room to retrieve something for Hajime, and now his servant was studying a brochure that was hanging on one of the walls.

Thoughtlessly, Nagito tilted his head and leaned against Hajime’s shoulder, causing the other to jump before relaxing a little. It was warm and comforting, just like his hand was.

Nagito nuzzled into his collared shirt affectionately. He wanted to stay like that forever.

“Are you tired, Nagito?” Hajime whispered, turning his head to look at the other. “There are a few more places I have to visit, but if you want to go back and rest, my prince…”

“No,” Nagito sighed, inhaling Hajime’s comforting scent. “You just make a great pillow, that’s all.”

Hajime huffed, amused. “’Idiot,” he said.

Nagito smiled before pulling away to stand upright once more.

Not long after, Makoto returned with a small bag.

“Here you go,” he said, placing the bag on the counter. “Those are all the seeds that were requested.”

Hajime set down his carrier bag on the counter and used his free hand to check the packets of seeds one by one.

“Yep, that should be everything,” he confirmed after a short pause. “Thanks a lot, Makoto.”

The florist smiled. “No problem, Hajime.”

All of a sudden, a teasing grin appeared on the shorter man’s face. “Hey, Hajime?” Makoto asked.

Hajime blinked. “Mm?”

Makoto’s eyes flickered to Nagito, who was looking at a bouquet of white camellias.

“Is Ko your boyfriend?” The florist asked, leaning forward and resting his arms on the counter.

His question caught the attention of the pair standing in front of him, and at once both prince and his aide froze on the spot.

“W-What?” Hajime coughed, his cheeks reddening steadily.

Makoto giggled. “Well… I'm saying this because you haven't let go of his hand this entire time, not even to check the seeds for a few seconds. So I figured either you two were dating, or you just really liked holding his hand.”

“I-I-uh—“Hajime couldn't quite answer in the midst of his fluster, so instead he looked at Nagito for help.

The prince, too, was blushing wildly, but he managed to give Makoto an answer nonetheless.

“Yeah, we are dating,” he said brightly, raising their joined hands and leaning down to kiss Hajime’s. This earned him wide eyes from the brunet, and Nagito was pleased with the reaction.

“It's not his fault, though, it's mine. I have a really bad sense of direction, and especially since I’m not from around here I thought I’d probably get lost really easily,” Nagito explained, speaking the half-truth. “So I asked Hajime to hold my hand wherever we go. He’s been really nice about the whole situation so far, but I guess he's still embarrassed when someone calls us boyfriends, huh?”

Hajime stared at the floor, his face as red as a tomato. All of a sudden the flat surface seemed exceptionally interesting to him.

Makoto smiled. “Aww. You guys are so cute. Well, it was nice to meet you, Ko,” he said. Then, turning to Nagito, he said, “treat him well, okay? He's a bit of a dork sometimes, but he's a wonderful guy.”

Hajime flushed. “Hey!! I'm not a dork,” he retorted, huffing.

Both Nagito and Makoto shot the brunet an amused look before turning back to each other.

“Don't worry, I will,” Nagito laughed, answering the florist’s previous question.

Makoto smiled, sending them off with a little wave as they exited the store after retrieving their bags.

“So, boyfriends, huh?” Nagito teased once they were outside. “Or do you just _really love holding my hand_?”

Hajime made a noise at the back of his throat. “I wasn't thinking when I did it!” He said defensively, clutching the bag of oranges closer to his chest. “I had to keep you close to me _somehow_ , and so far it's working, isn't it?”

Nagito smiled. “You know, you could've just _asked_ me to stay near you,” he pointed out. “It probably would've worked just as well.”

Hajime blinked. That… Was true.

“Oh,” he said thoughtfully. “I'm sorry, in that case. You can let go of my hand if you want.”

He expected to feel the pale hand around his loosen, but to his surprise, it remained firmly in place, as if it were too stubborn to move.

He looked at Nagito questioningly.

The prince smiled at him. “No way. Even if you don't like holding my hand, _I_ like holding _yours._ ”

The servant’s eyes widened. “N-Nagito, you…” His cheeks were glowing faintly.

Humming, Nagito swung their joint hands lightly and faced forward. “C’mon, Hajime! We don't have all day,” he said. “Where're we going next?”

Hajime blinked, still slightly dazed, before remembering. “Oh, um. The blacksmith’s,” he said lamely. “It's this way.”

Nagito squeezed the other’s hand gently. “Lead the way, Hajime.”

Hajime smiled.

Together, they set off in the direction of the blacksmith’s shop, chatting with each other – hands intertwined.

* * *

 

From a distance away, the forgotten guards raised their eyebrows at the pair in front of them and exchanged knowing looks.

“Think they've gotten together yet?” Fuyuhiko asked, amused.

He and Peko had been watching them since the beginning, and honestly, the romantic tension between the two idiots was embarrassingly oblivious — that was, to everyone but themselves.

The taller swordswoman shook her head. “I don't think so. But they certainly seem a little closer than before,” she admitted. “Maybe sometime soon?”

Fuyuhiko smiled before leaning up to press a kiss on his fiance’s cheek.

Even after so long, the pretty pink of Peko’s blush was able to send his tough heart aflutter.

“Maybe sometime soon,” he agreed, taking her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That little kuzupeko at the end~  
> plus tons of hand holding. I'm a sucker for that stuff.
> 
> This ended up longer than I thought it would, hmm... ;-;  
> I might write more short stories from this AU in the future, so please let me know what you thought of it if you have time! ^^
> 
> As always, thanks a lot for reading! :D


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